relationship to the sky? What will it do to
our children's outlook on life if we have
to teach them to be afraid to look up?"
-US Vice -President Al Gore
Concern over the impacts of increased ultraviolet radiation exposure on human
health has caused governments around the world to established daily warning
programs. For example, in Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Great
Britain, New Zealand, Netherlands, and the United States, forecasts for the
level of solar ultraviolet radiation and sunburn times are disseminated through
newspaper, radio and television messages. The Dutch authorities conduct an
annual skin cancer awareness campaign, including the provision of free
sun-screen to people working outdoors.
Canada's UV Index is a forecast of the time required for fair, unprotected skin
to burn under the highest sun based on the thickness of the ozone layer above
and the time of year. It is provided to the news media daily. In many
newspapers, it is front page information. The commercial television weather
service, The Weather Network, provides a feature on the Index and actual UV
measurements twice hourly during most of the year.
Messages such as Australia's "Slip, Slap, Slop" campaign urge citizens to slip
on a shirt, slap on a hat and slop on sunscreen for protection. Public
information campaigns by governments and public health organizations provide
added information on the hazards of sun exposure.
Alterations of school programs and other outdoor activities are aimed at
reducing sun exposure for children. Teams of doctors specializing in skin
cancers are roaming public beaches to educate sunbathers as to the dangers of
excessive sun. General advice is for people to avoid exposure to direct
sunlight between 11 AM and 4 PM.
While programs to educate and alert the public are absolutely necessary, they
are also at additional costs to public treasuries and in most countries draw
upon already scarce resources. Some countries, especially developing
nations, simply don't have the resources to protect the public through high
profile public information campaigns. While everyone's life will, one way or
another, be negatively affected by the impacts of increased UV-B radiation,
poorer countries will suffer to an even greater extent.
